The Gap Sub Branch RSL

The Gap SubBranch RSL

The Battle of Long Tan stands as an icon for Australian participation in the Vietnam War just as Gallipoli serves the same purpose for World War I and Tobruk and the Kokoda Track do for WW11.

This month we commemorate Vietnam Veterans Day, on Thursday 18th August

VIETNAM VETERANS DAY

Thursday 18th August.

Order of Service : Flags Raised 11.00am, Assembly 11.20 am, Service Commences 11.30am

The ceremony will be held at the Sub-branch HQ, “Nullagundi”, 34 School Rd, The Gap.

For assistance with directions or transport, please ring 0481 701 629.

This is the 56th anniversary of the Battle of Long Tan where 108 young diggers held off an overwhelming force of 2500 Viet Cong. Forty seven mostly young Australians, almost 50% of the mostly young troops, died.

Of the 52,000 Australians who served in Vietnam, 521 did not come home, 3000 were wounded. How many were wounded mentally and never diagnosed we do not know.

The Kokoda Track fighting was some of the most desperate and vicious encountered by Australian troops in the Second World War. Victory on the Kokoda Trail ensured that Allied bases in northern Australia, vital in the coming counter-offensive against the Japanese, would not be seriously threatened by air attack.

Approximately 625 Australians were killed along the Kokoda Trail and over 1,600 were wounded. Casualties due to sickness exceeded 4,000.

Many of the wounded Australians owed their lives to the local villagers, known affectionately as “Fuzzy Wuzzy Angels” who risked retaliation and death at the hands of the Japanese. Like many of our Diggers, they too are aging and passing into history.

Then only five years after the end of the Second World War, Australia became involved in the Korean War. Within two days of the war’s beginning, Australia became the second nation, behind the United States, to commit personnel from all three armed services to the war. Over 18,000 veterans served

in Australia’s defence forces during the period 27 June 1950 to 19 April 1956 in Korea ;339 were killed, 1216 wounded and 29 prisoners of war.